Horizons
Hi people. Thanks for visiting this page! I really hope that you enoy reading this story, i spent quite a bit of time writing it and revising it. The alleigances list will be coming in the second book as the other cats in Thunderclan or otherwise is ver seldom mentioned, sorry about that :( ! If you see any errors, please do point them out in the comment section and I will do my best to correct them. Thanks and enjoy! :) P.S. I'll release the following chapters every once a week on either Saturday or Sunday. Please also check out its sequel, Disturbed Waters (this book is part of the Silver River series)! Horizons By: Belladonna(not my real name) Prologue Wind hissed and swirled the mist of the forest. A cold moon shed a little light that was mostly blocked by the thick canopy of the treetops. With a rustle, a dark silhouette of a sturdy cat emerged like a ghost from a tree. “It’s about time, Flameflower.” The tom snarled as he padded up to the slender she-cat who was waiting for him a few tail lengths from where he appeared. “I say the same to you, Heronclaw.” She replied icily, starlight reflecting anger from her amber eyes. “Why did you call me here? We aren’t even supposed to be here.” Heronclaw questioned while glancing warily around the clearing as though he feared they would overheard or ambushed at any moment. He glared at Flameflower with equal anger. The light ginger she-cat softened her snarl. “It’s about Larkwing.” Flameflower murmured, flinching as she caught the she-cat’s sweet scent. “She shouldn’t be here.” “You know it wasn’t my fault in case you think it is…” Heronclaw began indignantly but Flameflower cut him off. “You let her die!” She spat, all her fury returning. “You let her die without even trying to protect her!” She glowered mutinously at Heronclaw. “It wasn’t my fault!”Heronclaw insisted. “Look, Flameflower. I understand how you feel, Larkwing was my sister too, but you can’t say I didn’t try to protect her! If I didn’t try, I wouldn’t even be in Starclan right now! It wasn’t my fault that the rogue killed her!” For a moment, Flameflower looked taken aback. Her bristling pelt smoothed and she moaned as if she was in great pain. “But what about her kits, Heronclaw? You know as well as I do that Snakefang wouldn’t be a suitable foster mother for them!” Flameflower gazed at Heronclaw miserably. Heronclaw’s gray and black dappled pelt also relaxed and he gazed at Flameflower with regret. “I knew all too well.” He murmured, lifting a massive paw to gingerly touch a scar on his left ear. “But what can we do?” he continued. “We can’t jump out of Silverpelt and take them to Starclan with us!” “Maybe Snakefang will be our only chance.” Flameflower mewed thoughtfully, flicking her ear to dislodge a dew drop that fell on it. “Maybe I should visit her and tell her what she is to do?” Flameflower glanced expectantly at Heronclaw. “I’ll bet you a moon’s worth of dawn patrols that she’d ignore them. Did you SEE her shoving Beetlekit away from the fresh-kill pile so that her kit can get first pick? I even saw her steal fresh bedding from the elders for that cursed kit!” Grunted Heronclaw, ripping pawfuls of grass; roots and all, from the ground. “But what else can we do?” protested Flameflower. “We can’t just leave them with that she-cat! She’ll, she’ll…” Flameflower trailed off and looked at the ground below her. “We’ll watch over them,” Promised Heronclaw. “I’m willing to die a second time if it means being able to save them, Snakefang can’t hurt them when Starclan is watching over them.” He stroked his tail-tip over Flameflower’s trembling pelt. “I’ll pray it be so.” Flameflower mewed, turning her fiery amber eyes to the sky above the two grieving cats. “I’ll pray it be so.” She repeated. Heronclaw gave her ear an affectionate lick before turning to leave. “Wait!” Flameflower bounded to stand in front of him. “What is it?” Heronclaw asked, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. “I’ve had a sign.” Mewed Flameflower quietly, “Along with it came a prophecy.” She continued and her whiskers twitched with amusement as she saw Heronclaw’s eyes stretch wide with excitement and anticipation. “The first part has been fulfilled. The first part was ‘At first snow lark will fall’” recited Flameflower. “They must’ve meant Larkwing,” whimpered Heronclaw almost inaudibly. “The second part is very puzzling’” Flameflower said. “The second part is ‘Dark heart will shadow stars and kin must kill kin before light can shine.’” Flameflower said thoughtfully. “Oh, I also got a third part.” She added when she saw Heronclaw open his jaws to reply. “As I heard the words of the prophecy, I saw a blinding silver flash illuminate the shadow of a blazing sun before the vision ended.” Flameflower looked sideways at Heronclaw. “Wow, Flameflower. You really are a great medicine cat.” Heronclaw meowed admiringly, looking at his sister with deepest pride. Flameflower ducked her head with embarrassment. “It’s nothing, really,” She mumbled, licking her white chest fur and avoiding Heronclaw’s proud gaze. “But I’ve an ominous feeling that they mean Silverkit and Sunkit.” Flameflower murmured, straightening up. “Well, they probably do, but we must follow the path laid out. After all, the clans aren’t our playthings.” Heronclaw stood up. “Now I’d like to go to my nest, so good night.” He said briskly. “Bye.” Flameflower mewed, brushing her muzzle along his pelt. “See you.” Murmured Heronclaw. He licked her ear and padded off. After a few tail-lengths, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. As his gaze held Flameflower’s, he disintegrated into star dust and was blown away by the wind. “May Starclan be with them,” She mewed, gazing at the stars before vanishing herself. Chapter 1 ''“Wake up, Silverkit!” '' Called the excited voice of her littermate. Silverkit screwed her eyes shut and huddled closer into the middle of her warm nest and… WHAM! Strong hind paws shoved Silverkit out of the nest. She scrambled out of the nest and crouched trembling, staring at the queen lying in the middle of the nest. “Watch it!” She snarled. “You could’ve hurt Mossykit!” The queen glared at Silverkit for a moment more before turning to the little wailing scrap of white and black splotched fur huddled close to her belly. “Hush, Mossykit. You’re safe, little one. That evil kit is out of the nest now.” She cooed at the kit. The little kit kept wailing. “You’re lucky I didn’t throw you out after Cedarstar gave you to me to care for!” She turned to Silverkit again. “Now you hurt my kit! Get out of here, you piece of vermin! I shall report this to Cedarstar. Maybe then she’d let me shoo you out of my nest for good!” Silverkit turned tail and fled out of the nursery. “Sunkit!” She wailed as she charged into the clearing. “Where are you?” She yowled, zigzagging blindly around the clearing until she charged into a small white she-cat. “Careful, little one.” The she-cat mewed gently, smoothing her tail over Silverkit’s bristling pelt before crossing the clearing to go to the fresh-kill pile. Pawsteps sounded behind Silverkit. “I see you’ve met Moonfall.” Meowed a very amused voice from behind Silverkit. She turned around, startled, and stared at the pale-gold and white blotched kit standing behind her. “Sunkit! Where WERE you? I was looking for you everywhere!”Silverkit rounded on Sunkit. “You only looked for me in the clearing.” Sunkit pointed out, licking white paw and wiped it over her ears. “I was in the elders’ den.” She sat down calmly on her haunches. Silverkit wilted. “Snakefang shoved me out of the nest!” She wailed again. Pressing her belly to the ground, she looked up at Sunkit. “Too bad,” Her sister mewed sympathetically. “Snakefang was never nice to us. She spoiled her own kit and never cared for us. At least Cherryflower is nice enough.” “Who’s Cherryflower?” Silverkit questioned, ears pricked with interest at getting to know a new cat. “Seriously? I mean, seriously?” Sunkit scoffed, rolling her eyes with exasperation. Silverkit bristled. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t know everyone in the clan! Sunkit must’ve noticed her bristling pelt. “Do you want to go visit Mistfur? He’s very nice.” Sunkit mewed tentatively. “Not before I get fresh-kill.” Silverkit looked over her shoulder at the teetering fresh-kill pile in the middle of their camp. “Sure.” Sunkit bounded forward towards the fresh-kill pile. “Wait up!” Silverkit called after her sister. Sunkit skidded and swerved around the grown warriors. Silverkit did her best to keep up, but before long, she began to lag. As she neared the fresh-kill pile, she skidded to a stop, but wasn’t fast enough; she fell on her muzzle and skidded further, tumbling head-over-heels into the side of a pile of brambles. A terrified wail from behind Silverkit made her struggle to get free. She finally managed to tear her head free from the snagging branches; Sunkit had charged into the boulder that sheltered the fresh-kill pile! Feeling her ear tip grow hot and sticky, she wiped her paw over it; blood! Sunkit stirred. “Sunkit!” Silverkit cried, struggling free and dashing over to her sister as fast as her little legs could carry her. “Silverkit?” Sunkit murmured feebly, trying to lift her head. A small trickle of blood rolled down Sunkit’s cheek. “Wait here while I get the medicine cat!” Silverkit licked Sunkit’s cheek, wincing at the taste of blood, and dashed as fast as she could to the center of the clearing. As Silverkit skidded to a stop, she gazed around the clearing while trying her best to find the medicine cat’s den. Silverkit had no idea where and who the medicine cat was, but there was one thing she could do. A huge white tom passed her and she jumped at him, clinging on to his long, snowy, pelt. Eyes flashing, the tom turned around and flicked her off his pelt with a huge white paw. “Please help me!” Silverkit pleaded as the tom began to pad away. “Where’s the medicine cat’s den?” The tom turned around to stare at Silverkit. He snatched her up in his jaws and padded over to a shady overhang. “Is something wrong? If you need help, you can ask me.”He dropped Silverkit in front of him. “But do you know anything about medicine?”Silverkit asked, scrambling to her paws, wincing from her bleeding ear. “I AM the medicine cat.” The white tom arched his back in a leisurely stretch. “Sunkit’s hurt!” Silverkit blurted out, struggling to peer around the tom’s huge body. “I knew I scented blood!” replied the tom nonchalantly, flicking his tongue out to lick his nose. “Now where is she?” He turned around and glanced at the clearing. “Just follow the scent of blood,”Silverkit gasped, heart beating faster as she thought of what could’ve happened to her sister while she was talking. The tom stuck his nose in the air and took a deep sniff.Without a word, he bounded across the camp where a crowd had surrounded a small patch of sunlight. Silverkit followed, having to go twice as fast to be able to catch up to him. The tom shouldered his way through the crowd and sniffed the bundle of golden and white dappled fur that Silverkit had mistaken for a patch of sun. “She’s lucky her neck wasn’t broken.”He remarked, gently pulling her closer to him with a paw. Silverkit’s legs began to tremble. “I should get you some thyme for shock.” The white tom ran an expert glance up and down her body with narrowed eyes. Silverkit abruptly collapsed on the spot.